A medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system and method are provided for communicating with a server during an examination of a patient using first and second communication channels. Communication between the controller and the server via the second communication channel occurs within a predetermined amount of time. In one embodiment, the controller of the medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system is configured to send and receive different information via the first communication channel than via the second communication channel. In another embodiment, communication between the controller and the server via the second communication channel is faster than communication between the controller and the server via the first communication channel. Other embodiments are presented, and each embodiment can be used alone or in combination with each other.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system comprising: at least one transmitter; at least one receiver; and a controller in communication with the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver, wherein the controller is configured to communicate with a server via a first communication channel and a second communication channel, and wherein the controller is further configured to send and receive different information via the first communication channel than via the second communication channel; wherein communication between the controller and the server via the second communication channel occurs within a predetermined amount of time; and wherein the controller is further configured to receive a pre-populated report for a radiologist from the server via the second communication channel, wherein the pre-populated report is responsive to information the controller previously sent to the server via the second communication channel during an examination of a patient.
2. The medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined amount of time is one second or less.
3. The medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined amount of time is five seconds or less.
4. The medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined amount of time is ten seconds or less.
5. The medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined amount of time is thirty seconds or less.
6. The medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the first communication channel is a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) channel.
7. The medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the controller utilizes a thin-client interface for communication in the second communication channel.
8. The medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system of claim 7 , wherein the thin-client interface comprises a web browser interface.
9. The medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system of claim 7 , wherein the thin-client interface comprises a remote desktop protocol.
10. The medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the pre-populated report received from the server via the second communication channel is simultaneously displayed with a medical diagnostic ultrasound image generated by the medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system on one or more display devices of the medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system.
11. The medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to send patient and/or study information to the server via the second communication channel and receive at least one of the following from the server via the second communication channel: order information, an image from a prior study, and a report from a prior study.
12. The medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to send a measurement and/or image association to the server via the second communication channel and receive at least one of the following from the server via the second communication channel: a plot of a prior measurement and a plot of a new measurement.
13. The medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to send a protocol step change message to the server via the second communication channel and receive a findings form change message from the server via the second communication channel.
14. The medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the second communication channel is used for communication between sonographer messages received by the medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system and a remote physician.
15. A medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system comprising: at least one transmitter; at least one receiver; and a controller in communication with the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver, wherein the controller is configured to communicate with a server via a first communication channel and a second communication channel; wherein communication between the controller and the server via the second communication channel occurs within a predetermined amount of time; and wherein communication between the controller and the server via the second communication channel is faster than communication between the controller and the server via the first communication channel; and wherein the controller is further configured to receive a pre-populated report for a radiologist from the server via the second communication channel, wherein the pre-populated report is responsive to information the controller previously sent to the server via the second communication channel during an examination of a patient.
16. The medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to send and receive different information via the first communication channel than via the second communication channel.
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January 10, 2019
May 12, 2020
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